Jalopnik: Television

Number 21 Has Escaped!

Murilee Martin — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:20:00 EDT

Car-shopping mid-80s Brits who wanted to show the world that they weren't going to let The Man grind them down- just like Number Six showed The Man!- could head right down to their local Renault dealership after watching this ad, because the Renault 21 (sold here in the States as the much-less-than-successful Renault Medallion) gets away!

Let's Make A Deal For... A Bricklin!

Murilee Martin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:40:00 EDT

Malcolm Bricklin probably seethed at the description of the Canadian-made Bricklin SV-1 as "America's latest sports car," but the audience for this mid-70s episode of Let's Make A Deal had nothing but oohs and aahs for Monty's announcement of the Cleveland-powered Safety Vehicle One. Thanks to LTDScott for the tip!

What It's Like To Have Your Land Rover Shot At

Mark Arnold — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:20:00 EDT

The video from these Turkish television reporters shows firsthand what it's like to ride along in a Land Rover Discovery while being shot at. They're not sure exactly who it was attacking them in Georgia (country, not state), but we're thinking these guys are just happy to all get out alive. One of them was even shot in the head (!) but evidently it wasn't life-threatening. Does this count as hoonage? Video after the jump. [CNN]

Having No Back Seats Can Be Smart

Mark Arnold — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EDT

While we know firsthand that you can fit more than two people in a Smart ForTwo, there really isn't enough room in the back to sit comfortably... or hide discreetly. Smart acknowledges this, and sees it as a good thing. After absorbing the scare tactics featured in this banned commercial, we sort of agree.
[via LiveLeak] Hat Tip to Dan!

Renault Kangoo: Room For Fat Americans And Their Donuts

Murilee Martin — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:20:00 EDT

Remember when Renault announced that they'd made a deal with 20th Century Fox to use characters from The Simpsons to shill the Kangoo minivan? Well, here's the result, which has been floating around the Internet for a while but hasn't landed here yet. It's about as entertaining as a French minivan could be; we're especially impressed with Homer's Donut Belt and the "money" he uses to buy a new Kangoo. What's next, Jodie Foster selling Civics?

Put The Kid In The Trunk And The TV In The Backseat

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:20:00 EDT

People will do some pretty stupid things for a TV, or so we're learning today. First, it was the idiot burglar with the alligator in his Buick Regal and now we have the story of a trio of not-so-bright Tennesseans who really wanted to get a television home. But there were three of them and a television, and not all of them could fit in the passenger area of their Toyota Corolla. Their solution? Put the kid in the trunk and the television in the backseat. They'd have gotten away with it, too, but someone called the cops after seeing the kid, who apparently consented, get into the trunk.

Everyone was okay, but the man and woman who were lucky enough to sit inside the car were arrested over what looks like a shitty television anyways. If only these idiots read books. Oh well, at least the sheriff seemed to get a good laugh out of it. Bonnie and Cylde were actually ratted out by a relative who saw the event unfolding. If that may seem cold just remember that most people in Tennessee are related. [WSMV]

We Woke Up This Morning, Found Sopranos Cars To Be Auctioned Off

Travis Hudson — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:20:00 EST

Barrett-Jackson will be auctioning off eight vehicles from The Sopranos March 26 through March 30 in West Palm Beach, Fla. These are the same cars that Tony and his gang of mobsters regularly did their dirty deeds. The highlighted car is Tony Soprano's 2003 Cadillac Escalade that was driven in the final three seasons of the series. It has only 11,000 miles and the driver-side seat is likely well-broken in. Check out the rest of the cars after the jump.

My personal favorite car being auctioned is Paulie Walnuts' 2003 Cadillac CTS. Yes, this is the same CTS that he used to do donuts in and destroy Christopher Moltisanti's front yard during season six.

Also in the auction is a 1997 Mercury Villager minivan driven by Tony and Paulie as well as a black Cadillac Deville driven by Vito Spatafore. Also a pair of blue Lincoln Town Cars used by Phil Leotardo and the Lupertazzi family will be sold as a pair.

Oddly enough, all of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. I would think a stripper rehabilitation or maybe a gun buyback program would be better programs for the proceeds. Bada bing!

VEHICLES FROM HBO'S "THE SOPRANOS" TO HIT THE BLOCK AT BARRETT-JACKSON PALM BEACH
Net Proceeds from "The Sopranos" Cars to Benefit Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., February 28, 2008 - Cars and SUVs driven by the famous TV mobsters on "The Sopranos" will be sold at No Reserve during the 6th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event on March 26-30, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Fla. A total of eight vehicles from the award winning HBO series will cross the block, led by Tony Soprano's 2003 Cadillac Escalade ESV, with net proceeds benefiting Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. SPEED will once again bring the action home with 19 hours of TV coverage during the auction as approximately 600 of the finest collector vehicles are sold at No Reserve. For the sixth consecutive year, the event will take place at the spacious Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds, located at 9067 Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach.

"From the biggest show on television to the biggest stage in the collector car industry, these movie star vehicles will demand the spotlight in Palm Beach," said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. "A staple in American pop culture, 'The Sopranos' captured the attention of viewers across the globe, much like Barrett-Jackson events are watched by devoted car enthusiasts worldwide on SPEED. We're thrilled to join forces with HBO for this special project to help raise funds for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles."

The signature piece of "The Sopranos" collection is the white 2003 Cadillac Escalade driven by mob boss Tony Soprano during the final three seasons of the series. Scheduled for sale during SPEED's primetime coverage on Saturday, March 29, the fully loaded Escalade has only 11,000 miles on the odometer and features clear, untinted windshields for exterior camera shots of the show's leading character.

Another high-profile car headed to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach is the champagne 2003 Cadillac CTS utilized by one of Tony's top soldiers, Paulie Walnuts. The CTS is infamous for its demolition of Christopher Moltisanti's new front yard in the "Kennedy and Heidi" episode during Season 6. Two more vehicles that played key roles in Season 6, a red 1997 Mercury Villager minivan driven by Tony and Paulie and a black Cadillac Deville driven by crew member Vito Spatafore, will also be sold.

"When a TV series becomes as popular as 'The Sopranos,' the cars driven by the larger-than-life characters become stars as well," added Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "Another factor that adds to the value of these celebrity vehicles is the 'staying power' of the series. Decades from now, 'The Sopranos' will still be appreciated as one of the top series in TV history, making these star cars significant well into the future."

A pair of blue Lincoln Town Cars, utilized by rival gangster Phil Leotardo and the New York-based Lupertazzi crime family, will be sold as a pair in Palm Beach. The two cars were featured in numerous episodes of "The Sopranos," most notably in the climactic Bada Bing shootout scene in "The Blue Comet" episode during Season 6. Additional cars from that high-energy scene that will be auctioned include two 1993 Cadillacs driven by Patsy Parisi, which will be sold together.

With net proceeds benefiting Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, "The Sopranos" vehicles will join a long list of cars in Palm Beach that will be auctioned for charity. On March 26, Barrett-Jackson will host their annual Opening Night Gala to raise money for The Darrell Gwynn Foundation and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During the 2007 Palm Beach event, Barrett-Jackson raised over $500,000 for various charities.

The Other Semi-Sentient Television Automobile

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:30:00 EST

With all this talk of the new Knight Rider television movie, I think we've all forgotten that before K.I.T.T. there was another grand talking car on television. It was part Model T, Maxwell, Hudson and Chevrolet and powered by a 283 cubic inch Chevy V8. It also contains the soul of Jerry Van Dyke's deceased mother.

While My Mother The Car may have been cancelled after just one season, and though many people consider it one of the worst shows every created, it's hard to ignore the influence of the show. Besides Knight Rider, which can be said to borrow the concept, one of the show's writers was James L. Brooks, who went on to produce The Simpsons and direct Terms of Endearment and Broadcast News. Bet you didn't know that. [Wikipedia]

Ein Mann und Ein Auto? Nein! Team Knight Rider!

Murilee Martin — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:30:00 EST

With all this frenzy surrounding the new Knight Rider series, some folks forget about the 1997 spinoff series: Team Knight Rider! This show didn't have just one sentient vehicle- oh, no, apparently an entire assembly line was cranking out self-aware Fords. Yes, Fords! And since the show was so good, it was promptly dubbed for export to eager audiences across Germany. Who knows, perhaps a fleet of such cars could start reproducing themselves, leading to a Gray Goo crisis, in which all of the planet's matter would be converted into talking Expeditions.

Ex Soap Star To Play Son of Michael Knight

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EDT

NBC has announced that former All My Children star Justin Bruening will play the son of Michael Knight, the protagonist (well, other than KITT), in the NBC Knight Rider made-for-tv movie, which could well be the pilot of a new television show. As we all remember, the original KITT was a pretty awesome Trans-Am. The new KITT hasn't been announced, but we're sure many automakers are licking their chops to get in on that action. Before we all get up in arms about the soap star playing our childhood hero, we'd remind you that David Hasselhoff starred in The Young and the Restless before getting his break as Michael Knight. [E! Online]

Top Gear to Burn Oil in BMW at Silverstone

Mike Bumbeck — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:00:00 EDT

Rumor has it the Top Gear crew will be burning up some of their homemade biodiesel brew at the upcoming Britcar 24-hour race at Silverstone, September 7th through 9th. Race entry records have Clarkson, the Hamster, James and the Stig entered in a diesel BMW 330 Dti Sport with a number 78 on it. Hilarity will no doubt ensue.
[Image courtesy of the discussion of this upcoming event from the Final Gear forums]

Top Gear UK Is Coming To BBC America!

Ray Wert — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:15:00 EDT

It looks like the world's highest production cost car show, Top Gear, is coming to America. BBC America that is. That's right — Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May won't just be stopping by to hoon around a bit like they did last time, instead it looks as though they'll be coming stateside to a local cable operator near you — at least according to the BBC America site. They're showing off air times starting on August 20th with "Episode 1." No idea what season that means they'll be showing although the Top Gear BBC America page does show the guests for this season include "Ewan McGregor, Ray Winstone, and Sir Michael Gambon as well as celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver."
UPDATE: We've spoken with a person at BBC America who tells us that yes, this is official — BBC America will be airing Top Gear UK starting August 20th! [BBC America]

Bob Barker's Last Car Can Be Yours!

Murilee Martin — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 17:20:00 EDT

According to the seller, this 2007 Cadillac XLR is the very last car ever given away by Bob Barker on The Price Is Right, on the episode that aired on June 15th. Let's say you already have some other historically significant cars- say, the 1910 Gräf & Stift in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated- and you need to add this incredibly important vehicle to your stable. In that case, you have no choice but to get busy bidding on this 90-mile XLR... which has a starting bid price of 65 Gs (and a reserve that you'll just have to guess). Oh yeah, the car they had on the show itself was black, so you'd need to whip out the paperwork from CBS to prove to skeptics that Bob really did (sorta) give this very car away. [eBay]

GTO vs. GTS

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:00:00 EDT

Thomas Magnum takes on a pair of armed yahoos in a Goat and winds up ending the chase in a most unfortunate manner. Neither the Fezza nor the Poncho are injured, but fans of Mk. 1 Golf/Rabbits may want to avert their eyes.

Top Gear Once Again Under Eco-Fire

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:10:00 EDT

Jezza, Der Kapitan der Nicht Schnell Ist and Doctor Teeth are once again in trouble with environmentalists for racing to the North Pole. Clarkson and May drove cold-weather outfitted Toyota Hiluxes, while Hammond hitched himself up to a team of sled dogs. Greenpeace, however, was far from pleased at the competition, once again spewing vitriol at Clarkson and blaming the BBC for destroying the environment. Interestingly, the notoriously outspoken lead presenter has yet to issue a comment, but we imagine he'll have a lot to say on the occasion of the show's airing. As a side note, Spinelli talks about the trek here. [Daily Express, UK]

Alka-Seltzer To The Rescue!

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:00:00 EDT

Team Knight Rider debuted back when we were in college, and watching this clip reminds us why we never bothered to stick with it beyond one episode. On the other hand, the above segemnt does feature a water-powered Bricklin (a Bricklin!) — creatively-named Hydro 2000 — that like a seagull, can be handily disabled with the addition of fizzy stomach-calming tablets. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
KITT vs. Airwolf! [Internal]

Character-Driven Automobiles in Televised Crime-Fighting

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:00:00 EDT

Last night, we suffered a bout of insomnia, and as such found ourselves caught up in the Beeb's excellent Johnny Got His Gun-meets-The Sweeney mashup, Life On Mars. DCI Gene Hunt's Cortina fits the character like a glove and got us thinking — what other television and/or film vehicle driven by a law enforcement official fits the character to a T? Marion Cobretti's '50 Merc? David Starsky's Gran Torino? Steve McGarrett's Park Lane? Go forth and pontificate, dear readers! – Davey G. Johnson

Life On Mars [BBC]

Related:
Why One Needs a Mercury Park Lane [Internal]

The Hoff is Not Work Safe

Mike Bumbeck — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 15:00:00 EDT

Riding around in a talking Trans-Am that fires lasers is all fine and good until you start swearing like a drunken sailor while the cameras are rolling. Take it from the Hoff. What you say now could in fact come back to haunt you later. Is that thing on? – Mike Bumbeck

Related:
KITT vs. Airwolf! [Internal]

We Pity The Fool Who Starts Up a Chop Shop

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:45:00 EDT

The A-Team take down a chop shop and a crooked used car salesman with extreme prejudice, all in the name of helping out their pal ex-con pal Davey. Face takes one to the, well, er, face, Hannibal turns himself out as a limo-shoppin' rock 'n' roll mogul, B.A. is his usual William Butler Yeatsian self, and Murdock? Well, Murdock's just howlin' mad. And yes, of course the plan comes together. It is a Stephen J. Cannell production, after all. More post-jump. – Davey G. Johnson

Chopping Spree Part 3; Part 4; and Part 5

Related:
And It's Mr. P, Yeah? [Internal]

Top Gear of the Pops!

Davey G. Johnson — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:30:00 EDT

The three 'teers arm their muskets and take aim at the music industry in this charity episode of Top Gear only it's about music, not cars. Sort of like a video issue of Gearhead, only with middle-aged British chaps instead of middle-aged punkers. [Thanks to the legendary ThnderBlt for the tip.]

This is Boston Not LA: Lee Majors Runs to California

Mike Bumbeck — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:00:00 EDT

While we won't go into the reasons why we were up wee hours of the early nineties adjusting a tinfoil antenna on a black and white TV watching The Last Chase, we will say this cinematic gem made a lasting impression. Even over a decade later no one believes us when we start rambling on about a movie starring Lee Majors, Burgess Meredith, a Porsche, and an F-86 Sabre jet. Lee Majors plays Franklin Hart, a former racecar driver forced to work for the new government in which driving is a crime. Hart bugs out, fires up his old Porsche, and makes a run for it to the one place that people still drive - California. The shadowy Boston-based government then sends out Burgess Meredith in a jet to catch the rouge racer. There were also lasers and exploding cactus. No, really - it's an actual movie. – Mike Bumbeck

Mazda Miata Photochop Madness

Mike Bumbeck — Thu, 31 May 2007 14:00:00 EDT

A precarious mix of unemployment, Mazda Miatas, and photoshop could produce many things. A man named Moe took these three conditions and created a borderline disturbing but also funny collection of homemade chops. He's got everything from an Army issue Miata to a Zoom Zoom Zamboni. Extensive televison viewing seems to have also played a role. Tom Selleck and Wonder Woman are in there, but sadly there is no Columbo Miata. – Mike Bumbeck

Miata + Photoshop = Fun! [moesrealm.com]

It's Time For (Your Own Personal) The Cool Wall!

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 30 May 2007 18:30:00 EDT

One could say that the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage is a slightly-more-democratic, in-depth version of Top Gear's venerable Cool Wall. But now the TG folks have blown that wide-open with their digital rendition of one of the show's most beloved features. Now you, too can widdle away the hours chewing the scenery like a rabid Hamster. Procrastination through joy! – Davey G. Johnson

Cool Wall [Top Gear via Dubspeed]

Related:
James May Wants You To Colour This Z4 Coupe! [Internal]

KITT vs. Airwolf!

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 30 May 2007 13:45:00 EDT

Given that both Knight Rider and Airwolf seem to be cut from the same 1980s cloth it's almost surprising that there was a never a TV movie made of this epic meeting of the super-machines. Nevertheless, an enterprising fan took it upon himself to creatively edit one himself. And we have to say, other than the Hoff's changing shirt colors and a distinct lack of Tim Conway and Carl Ballantine, the helicopter/Trans Am shoot out is actually kind of a hoot. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
KITT and Michael do San Francisco [Internal]

KITT and Michael Do San Francisco

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 29 May 2007 17:45:00 EDT

As previously stated, we're suckers for law-enforcement drama in the City by the Bay. We're not exactly suckers for Knight Rider, which in our mind just isn't as rad as Airwolf and is nowhere near as awesome as The A-Team. That said, we do enjoy a bit of KITTsch (d'oh) now and then, so here's a car chase through Sucka Free featuring a self-driving Thunderbird and a supposedly-turbine-powered Trans Am that sound suspiciously like it's got a 305 in it. – Davey G. Johnson

Indy 500 Garage Wrap Up

Mike Bumbeck — Sun, 27 May 2007 20:15:00 EDT

We caught about half of the Indy 500 over donuts and bagels down at Cole Coonce's place until rain stopped the action. Or so we thought. Mr. Coonce phoned up later to say part two of the race had begun with Tony Kanaan in the lead. The rest of the race was viewed on our trusty Panasonic portable while painting an G54B engine block out the garage. After a few spills that resulted in Kanaan losing his grip, it was Dario Franchitti who took the checkered flag in Indy 500 Part Two: Ashley Judd edition. – Mike Bumbeck

Related:
Patrick Dempsey to Drive Indy 500 Pace Car [Internal]

Fewer Cunning Stunts Say Top Gear Fans, Clarkson Responds

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 13:49:52 EDT

Even a show as great as Top Gear is heir to the thousand natural shocks of success. The need to stay fresh, while keeping true to charter is a minefield for a regular, old blog; imagine how treacherous it is for an iconic TV show. This week, headmaster Jeremy Clarkson sounds off on the past season of Top Gear, derided on many message boards for abandoning good ol' hoonage on English country lanes in favor of stunt programming and gimmickry. But Clarkson says such are the realities of being the most-watched show on the BBC. To wit:

But galloping like a huge, shit-stained horse over the horizon comes the problem: is that what the vast majority of the viewers want? Not you. Not your mates in cyberland. But the vast swathe of people who just want to flop down on a Sunday night and watch entertaining telly. I suspect the answer is a Thatcheresque "No. No. No."

Is all lost? Can "Top Gear" be all things to all viewers if it has to appeal to anti-mum and her sewing biddies as well as, well, you all? Sound off before it's too late. – Mike Spinelli

Series 10? It's up to you... [Top Gear]

Andy, Are You Goofing On Elvis? The Joy of 'Taxi'

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:00:00 EDT

'Round Jalopnik parts, we now and then mention television series like Starsky and Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider. Shows in which automobiles and car chases were as part and parcel of the episodes as the actors. Taxi, while nominally centered around a group of people operating Checker Marathons, had practically nothing to do with cars, other than Latka's perennial greasiness and the fact that his wife's name was a homonym for a brand of French automobile that was eventually subsumed by Chrysler. It was also one of the best-written sitcoms ever. They're filming an episode of WIthout a Trace around the corner today. And although we have no beef with Anthony LaPaglia, we doubt his show will ever be as fondly remembered. – Davey G. Johnson

Taxi [Wikiquote]

At Last! Hawaii Five-O Complete First Season on DVD

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 13:30:00 EST

Fans of black Ford sedans, unisex hair styles, scenic Pacific vistas, and cheesy dialog, will be ecstatic to hear that the entire 1968 first season of television's finest Hawaiian cop drama is at long last available on DVD. While this news was first reported months ago, getting the discs onto the shelves was evidently about as an impossible task as McGarrett telling Danno to check every tire dealership on the island, or everyone that's eaten breakfast at the Honolulu International House of Pancakes since 1966. For those who feel like getting plastered, we have included a link to the rules for the Hawaii Five-O drinking game. Watch for flying hubcaps during chase scenes. – Mike Bumbeck

Hawaii Five-O Drinking Game [Sirah Style] Hawaii Five-O - The Complete First Season (1968) [Amazon.com]

Seavers Believers, It's Karaoke Time!

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 22:45:00 EST

Admittedly, this would be better if the vocal track was scrubbed so one didn't feel so much like one was performing along with Lee Majors instead of invoking one's inner Colt, but we'll take what we can get. What's more, it features the oft-neglected third verse about Burt Reynolds. Oh, also of note, the intro is actually not from the American series, but rather from its German incarnation as Ein Colt f r Alle F lle. Geil! – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Lee Majors Shills for Honda in Deutschland! [Internal]

Keeping Brazil's Highways Safe, Simca Style!

Murilee Martin — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:59:47 EST

I was chatting with a Brazilian coworker earlier, and he mentioned a favorite TV show from his childhood that was sort of a Brazilian forerunner to CHiPs: O Vigilante Rodovi rio. The plot centers around a heroic highway patrolman and his German shepherd, Lobo, fighting crime... but that's not important. The important thing is that the cops in this show all drove Simca Chambords! Yes! It turns out the former star of O Vigilante Rodovi rio still has his Chambord from the show and he brings it to Brazilian car events. Scroll down about halfway in the linked page for some good Cop Chambord shots. – Murilee Martin

Off Road Rally in ?guas da Prata [aguasrally.blogspot.com]

Try This at Home, Kids! Brock Samson Takes Control

Davey G. Johnson — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 22:45:00 EST

We've been on a huge Venture Bros. kick lately. Anyone who thinks the miracles of 1960s science were way more awesome than boring old nanotech and grew up on classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons will undoubtedly agree. Plus, you know, the guy who played Puddy as the greatest badass who ever lived, Brock Samson. – Davey G. Johnson

01 Number 01: The First General Lee

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:30:00 EST

Inside Line, new home of the Loverman, has the story of the first General Lee — the example that leaps Rosco's cruiser at the close of the Dukes of Hazzard's opening credits. Hastily assembled by a crew at Warners' the O.G. Lee was in sad shape when Travis Bell located the car in the yard of a Georgia transmission shop. After exchanging hands a number of times, Marvin Murphy commissioned Bell, co-founder of the North American General Lee Fan Club, to spearhead the restoration effort with the words, "Travis, if someone spray-painted the Mona Lisa, someone would have to restore it. You're that man." And really, how can one argue with that? – Davey G. Johnson

The Resurrection of the General Lee [Inside Line]

TR7: The Shape Of Things To Come

Murilee Martin — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 13:53:09 EST

Yeah, the TR7 sucked so hard that owners had a tough time opening their garage doors (due to the mighty pressure differential created by the car's overwhelming "suck field"). But still, when I was a young lad, dreaming of future wheels, I thought the wedge-shaped Triumph was cool as hell. The TR7 had a typical lifespan of about 18 months, from that first undiagnosable cascading electrical malfunction to the final grenaded transmission, but there was a period in the mid-70s when you saw them sputtering all over California's streets (tellingly, the TR7's main competition at the time was the Fiat X-1/9). Who knows, this 1976 ad may have been the reason for the car's popularity, with its beaded-hippie driver and his various wedge-shaped garages (apparently Triumph was shooting for the all-important Grateful Dead Road Crew demographic). Enjoy. – Murilee Martin

So What Is The TR7? [TriumphTR7.com]

Related:
James May's Manly Triumph [internal]

Creative Car Hire for Fun and Profit with Jim Rockford

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:45:00 EST

Okay, admittedly, Suzanne Somers isn't a woman we'd generally go out of our way to seduce these days. But back in '74, she was quite the looker, and let's face it, being Jim Rockford isn't entirely unlike being a blogger. Well, except that we can't afford a trailer in Malibu or a gold Firebird Esprit. And the closest thing we have to Angel Martin is Wert. But we're thinking that we could afford to dress like Rockford; In fact, if we're lucky, maybe we'll be able to find one of Garner's outfits in a thrift shop. Then we'll just have to put together a rental-car-and-coathanger budget. – Davey G. Johnson

Question of the Day: What Would Barney Miller Drive?

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 03:15:00 EST

There are some people who read this site who are too young to remember the greatness of Barney Miller. These people are sadly missing out. Also note the mad kung-fu skills of Wojciehowicz. For some reason, we can imagine Ben rocking this action. Unfortunately, when Spinelli rocked a Wojo ref to Mr. Wojdyla in Detroit, we found out he was like, zero years old and totally didn't get it. This must be rectified, and it must be rectified now, for if a smart and worldly chap like Ben knows not the greatness of Barney Miller, what chance to the rest of the poor, underage slobs who read this tripe have? So we ask all of you to reflect on what a retired, seventysomething police captain — undoubtedly living in Florida — would roll in today. Comment away, fellas, and educate the youth of today. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Question of the Day: What's on Your Dekotora? [Internal]

Where Were We? Glen A. Larson Presents Automan!

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST

Back in the 1980s, two men duked it out for action/adventure supremacy on the nation's airwaves: Stephen J. Cannell and Glen A. Larson. And between the two of them, they provided Generation X with some fine, fine televised entertainent. However, now and then even the greats fall short, and we're betting that Larson's Trontastic Automan was one of the projects that didn't fare as well as its creator had hoped. Bonus? Desi Arnaz junior and a Countach that takes corners at right angles. We almost wish we remembered this show. Almost. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Lee Majors Shills for Honda in Deutschland! [Internal]

Because We've Been Lax on Our Michael Douglas Quotient Lately: The Streets of San Francisco

Davey G. Johnson — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 00:30:00 EST

Okay, fine, most of the cars in this clip are stuck in traffic or moseying calmly across the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges. But who cares? If real life was more like this and/or contained more Karl Malden, it would be awesome. Tonight's episode: Mister Nobody. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:
Flying Le Car? Ouais! [Internal]

Holy Crap! Hawaii Five-O Theme Song Lyrics

Davey G. Johnson — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:00:00 EST

We love us some Don Ho, but we're a bit crestfallen to find out that not only were there lyrics penned to the greatest instrumental television theme song of all time, but they had nothing to do with McGarrett's hair or the fact that Herman Wedemeyer and one of Los Jalops are both graduates of Saint Mary's college of California. Instead, they are as follows:

"If you're feelin' lonely/You can come with me/Feel my arms around you/Lay beside the seaaaaaa/We will think of somethin' to do/Do it til it's perfect for you/And for me too/You can come with meeeee./So leave your world behind you/You can come with me/Sing a song I'll teach you/Live your fantasyyyyyyy/Love ya in a natural way/Doesn't matter what time of day/You and I play/You can come with meeeee/Won'tcha come with meeee/You can come with meeee."

– Davey G. Johnson

Five-O Lyrics [The Hawaii Five-O Homepage]

Related:
The Car Chase That Made No Sense [Internal]

Jon Stewart, Jennifer Tilly and the Wienermobile

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 16:00:00 EST

You know, we sometimes have dreams like this about Jennifer Tilly, too. Thankfully, we don't have dreams like this about Mike Nesmith. – Davey G. Johnson

Jon Stewart, Jennifer Tilly & the Lincoln Tunnel [Carpe per Diem]